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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021)
SENATE BILL 427 By: Young
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to state government; creating the
Oklahoma Commission on Race and E quality; providing
for membership, appointment, terms, removal,
vacancies and reimbursement; providing for meetings
and officers; providing for staff and meeting space;
providing for powers and duties; establishing
revolving fund; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 777 of Title 74, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Commission on Race and
Equality. The Commission shall consist of thirty (30) members. The
members shall be appointed as follows : eight members shall be
appointed by the Governor, eight members shall be appointed by the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate , eight members shall be
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Repres entatives, and six
members shall be app ointed by the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus .
All members shall be appointed by the appropriat e appointing
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authority for a term of three (3) years commencing with the date
that the previous appointee ’s term expired. Each member shall serve
no more than three terms. The member shall only serve two
consecutive terms and shall be inactive for a period of one (1) year
prior to serving the maximum three-term limit. In making such
appointments, consideration shall be give n to making the membership
broadly representative of the geographic areas of the state and the
several racial and et hnic groups residing in the st ate. Each member
shall hold office until the successor of the member is appointed and
has qualified. A member of the Commission may be removed by the
appropriate appointing authority for cause. A member appointed to
fill a vacancy occurring before the e xpiration of a term of a member
separated from the Commission for any cause shall b e appointed for
the remainder of the term of the member whose offic e has been so
vacated. Members of the Commission shall receive no salary but
shall be entitled to travel reimbursement as provided by t he State
Travel Reimbursement Act from funds available to the appropriate
appointing authority.
B. The Office of Manage ment and Enterprise Services shall
provide staff support to the Oklahoma Commission on Race and
Equality and make arrangements for sui table meeting space for the
Commission as needed.
C. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall name the chair
of the Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equal ity, and the Speaker of
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the House of Representatives shall name the v ice-chair. Any other
officers deemed necessary sh all be elected from among the members at
the first meeting of the Commission. Thereafter, at the fi rst
meeting of each fiscal year, the Commission shall elect a chair, a
vice-chair and such other officers deemed necessary to conduct the
business of the Commission from among its members. The Commission
shall meet at least once every three (3) months and at such other
times as called by the chair or by a majority of the Commission.
D. The Oklahoma Commissio n on Race and Equality shal l have the
power and the duty to:
1. Advise on equality issues relating to racial discrimination
and bias, state agencies and employees, communities, organizations
and businesses of this state which desire the services of the
Commission;
2. Monitor legislation to determine whether legislation is
discriminatory toward one race or ethni city or whether the race, or
ethnicity of an individual would have an effect o n the enforcement
of the legislation;
3. Act as a resource and a cle aringhouse for research on issues
related to racial discrimination and bias;
4. Act as a resource in any state appointments to commissions
and boards for diversity,
5. Conduct meetings and se minars within the state as
appropriate to support the goals and duties of the Commission; and
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6. Report to the Governor, the Presiden t Pro Tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of its
activities. The report recommendations may include recommendations
concerning needed legislation or regulatory changes re lating to
racial discrimination and bias.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 777.1 of Title 74, unless there
is created a duplication in nu mbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the Office of Management and Enterprise Services designated the
“Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equality Revolving Fund”. The fund
shall be a continuing fund, n ot subject to fiscal year limitations ,
and shall consist of all gifts and d onations contributed to sup port
the work of the Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equality. All
monies accrued to the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and
may be budgeted and expended by the Director of the Of fice of
Management and Enterprise Servi ces on behalf of the Okla homa
Commission on Race and Equality for the purposes prescribed by the
Legislature in creating the Commission. Expenditures from the fund
shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Trea surer against
claims filed as prescribed by law with the Direct or of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services for approval and paym ent.
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SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
58-1-983 MR 1/15/2021 4:23:14 PM